The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-23
FORMER coNrEDERATEs At WAR.
Gen. Jubai Eariy's Reply TO Gen. Thomas L..
Rosser's Recent Card.

RICHMOND, June 22.-Gen. Jubal A. Early
is out in tho State this evening in reply to Gen.
Thos. L. Rosser's recent card, In which Rosser
said that Early should have been hanged for
burning Chambersburg. Gen. Early says:
"Rosser has heretofore shown his utter dis
regard for the truth in some publications he
has made In regard to some OF the operations
OF the Army OF Northern Virginia, and espe-
cially those Of my command, In tho valley In
1864. and have fully demonstrated tho falsity
OF many OF his statements. Having previously
figured extensively MS n fal5ifler OF history. no
has recently appeared in another r6le-that ofa
consummate ass-and 1t must BIO confessed
thnt no has proved himself IN adept in that
character As to his expressed opinion in re-
gard to my conduct in having Chambersburg
burned, gentlemen can determine how much
weight is to be given to, that opinion when they
road an extract from letter written by him to
a gentleman in Canada In 1868, which l will
give:
.ss
pleased serve you and my noble friend, Gen. Early
VERY sfu G. 5ssEs D.s,o
II was shown the original letter. and from rom
hosser's recent ,utterances..a discerning pub;
lie can estimate how much importance should
be to opinion 81 s on any SUB
have been hung for the burning oil Chambers
burg. Really what Rosser thinks or says in re-
gard to m yself disturbs mo very little. What &C.
tually distresses me Is to see one who occupied
the position OF a general officer In the Confed-
crate army fall as low as he has fnllen. It seems
that residence Of several years In the North
west and tho accumulation OF considerable
property there by means best known to him him.
tho South was all wrong in the struggle she
made for Independence and self-govern-
ment, and that it was fortunate, that his
mighty efforts for four years in her cause
failed of success. To those true and
faithful Confederates,twho. like myself, feel
mortified when one of our former comrades
becomes q renegade to the cause We fought
for. have this consolation to offer: We do
not stand alone in having apostates from our
ranks. We learn that even one Of the brightest
Of tho archangels the Son OF the Morning
who stood around the throne OF the Almighty.
rcbellod against his Creator and carried of
one OF the chosen apostles OF the Saviour OF
mankind betrayed his master with kiss for
thirty pieces Of silver. This much. however, Ia
to be said in behalf Of Judas Iscariot: When
he became aware OF tho effect Of his treachory
no had the grace to cast from him the thirty
pieces OF silver, the price Of his treachery and
20 and hang himself. II some Of our own rom
egades would go and do likewise we might re-
gard the act us some atonement for their apos-
tacy and the most creditable act they could
now perform.
II have heard 1t suggested that Rosser is
aspiring to be the member OF Congress from
tho district Of which some lower valley coun-
ties constitute the greater part, and that his
recent letter about the rumored intention OF
Sheridan to ride up the valley, was intended to
aid his aspirations in that respect"